Pipe cleaning ash tray



June 20, 1944. w. H. STEWART PIPE CLEANING ASH TRAY:

Filed April 2. 1941 Patented June 20, 1944 UN ITE D .STATE PATEN T OF F l CE :Pira CLEANING Asn TRAY Walter Stewart, Passaic, N. J.

Application vApril 2, 1941, ,Serial No. 386,389

4 Claims.

My 'present invention relates -to ash trays, and more particularly to an improved pipe cleaning vash tray.

An object of my invention is an improved'pipe cleaning ash tray in which the pipe cleaning element comprises essentially an anvil of resilient material against which the pipe bowl may be struck to dislodge the ashes or spent tobacco .remaining in the bowl.

Another object of my invention is an improved pipe cleaning ash tray in which the pipe cleaning element is an annular member of relativelyhard resilient material such as cork, and which-cleaning element is arranged at the upper end of a extending into the Yash receiving chamber and on which is mounted the pipe cleaning member.

Other objects and novel features of the construction and arrangement of parts comprising the device will appear vas the description of the invention progresses.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of .an I

embodiment of my invention having vin combination therewith the closure member for the lower end of the kpipe cleaning member; and

Fig. 2 is a section View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. p

Referring to the drawing 2| designates ,a .tray preferably of metal, and `also preferably circular in shape, provided with avcentrally .arranged orice .I.I. Surrounding the orice II on the lower face of the tray 2I is a tubular portion I2 which may be provided with internal threads I3 to receive the corresponding threads I4 of an ash receiving chamber member I5. The chamber member may be of any desired material such for example as metal, plastic or glass and for convenience in cleaning, it is preferred that such member be made in glass, such for example as the well known Mason jar.

Slidably mounted in the interior of the tubular portion I2 is a tubular member 22 which extends into the chamber member I5 and is spaced apart from the bottom thereof as shown. Secured to the top end of the tubular member 22 is a flange 24 U-shaped in cross-section, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The member 22 and the ange 24 are preferably vmade of metal, although any other lmaterial may be used if desired. When made of metal, the member Z2 and flange`24 maybe connected together by soldering, brazing, or Ain any other convenient manner.

Fitting into the ange 2-4 and secured thereby in any convenient manner, as by adhesive, screws or the like, is the lower half of the pipe striking element 25 composed of a relatively hard b'u't resilient material such as cork, cork composition, hard rubber, wood, or the like.

The member 22, flange 24, and pipe striking element 25 form a unitary structure which may 'be removed from the position shown in Fig. 1 in order to permit any ashes or other debris, such as matches or the like, which collect in the tray y2l to be brushed or swept into the chamber I5, yand for purposes of cleaning, as may be desired. The chamber I5 maybe unscrewed from the tubular portion I2 andthe Iashes vor other debris contained therein may be emptied yinto any suitable receptacle, and Where the ash receiving chamber I5 is vmade of glass the same maybe readily cleansed and the same then vrestored to the position shown in Fig. 1.

In use, andassuming the elements to have'been constructed and assembled as above described, a person using the device will strike the edge vof the pipe bowl on the pipe clean-ing element 25 preferably in the 'position shown when most, if Vnot all, of the ashes or other debris contained in the pipe will pass through the opening 2l) of the pipe cleaning element I8 and yfall into the ash receiving chamber I5. It is fou-nd that where the lower end of the tubular member 22 is spaced apart from the bottom of the ash receiving Ichamber I5 and the tubular member 22 is of less diameter than the main diameter'of the ash Yreceiving chamber I5 that any smoke arising from burning tobacco will rise up in the annular space between the inner wall of the ash receiving chamber I5 and the outer wall of the tubular member 22 and will so collect the carbon monoxide gas as to rapidly extinguish any spark in the burning, tobacco and thus prevent obnoxious odors from arising through tubular member 22 into the outer atmosphere.

Ash receiving chamber I5 has screwed thereon the tray 2I and through the central orice of which passes the tubular member 22. The circular rib 23 spaces the upper end of the tubular member 22 away from the tray 2i, and the pipe cleaning element 25 is secured to the flange 24 formed on the upper end of the tubular member 22.

As clearly shown in Fig. 1, I provide a closure for the bottom of the tubular member 22 which extends into the ash container I5, and provide means for operating the closure from a point outside the device. Such means comprises a noncylindrical tubular element 26 secured to a side wall of the tubular member 22 by soldering or in any other suitable manner, such non-cylindrical tubular member 26 lying parallel to the axis of the tubular member 22. If necessary the annular pipe cleaning element 25 .isv cut away as shown in Fig. 1 to allow the non-cylindrical element 26 to extend up slightly beyond the flange 24 which is formed integrally with the cylindrical member 22. A portion of the non-cylindrical element 26 at its lower end is folded .over as indicated at 2l and is provided with a perforation through which slidably extends a rod 28.l The rod 28 is formed integrally with or secured to the lower end of a non-cylindrical plunger element 29 which plunger element is freely slidable in the non-cylindrical element 26. Secured to the top end of the plunger element 29 is an operating knob or handle 30 and by means of which the plunger element 29 may be depressed. Secured to the 'lower end of the rod 28 by soldering or in anyother suitable or desired manner is a closure element 3| which ac ts asa closure for the lower ,openend oi the cylindrical, member 22. Such closure member 3| is crowned or dome shaped to facilitate the sliding or removal of material therefrom. Between the lower end of the plunger element 29 and the folded over element 2'| of the non-cylindrical element 26 is arranged a coil spring 32 for the purpose of urging the plunger element 29 and also the closure element 3| upwardly so as to bring the closure element 3| into closing position with relation to the bottom ofthe cylindrical member 22. Y,

, In operation, when a pipe has been cleaned or other debris passes into the tubular member 22, the same will collect on the crowned ordomed closure 3|. Periodically, and usually after each cleaning of a pipe, the operator will depress the operating knob or handle 30, thus forcing the plunger element 29 and rod28 downwardly and moving the crowned or domed closure 3| from the position shown in Fig. 1 to a lower position and allowing the ashes or other debris to slide oi the same into the ash receiving chamber I5. This action also and simultaneously compresses the spring 32. Upon realizing the pressure from the operating knob or handle 30, the spring 32 will expand and will move the crowned or domed closure 3| back into closing position again as indicated in Fig. l.

- Whereas I have described myinvention by ref,-

erence to a specic form thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An improved pipe cleaning ash tray comprising a base having a chamber formed therein, an ash tray removably mounted on the base and having an opening therethrough communicating with the chamber, a tubular member movable within and extending through said opening, means for limiting the movement of the tubular member into the chamber, an annular anvil of resilient material mounted on the top of the tu- -bular member, a resiliently mounted domed closure for the lower end of the tubular member,

for operating the closure member.

2. Any improved pipe cleaning ash tray comprising a base having a chamber formed therein, an ash tray removably mounted on the base and having an opening therethrough, communicating ,withl the chamber, a tubular member movable within and extending through said opening, means on the tubular. member. for limiting the movement of the` tubular member into the chamber, a resilient flange. formed at the upper end of the tubular member within the confines of the ash tray, a domed closure for the lower end of the tubular member, and means for operating said closure means.

3. An improved pipe cleaning ash tray comprising a base having a chamber formed therein, an ash tray removably mounted on the base and having an opening therethrough communicating with the chamber, a tubular member extending through said openingV and into the chamber, an annular anvil of resilient material mounted at the top of the tubular member, a shaft resiliently mounted on the inner side wall of the tubular member, and extending to a point above the ash tray, a domed closurefor the lower end of the tubular member attached to said shaft, and means for returning the closure and shaft to initial position after operation.

4. An improved pipe cleaning ash tray comprising a base having a chamber formed therein, an ash tray mounted on the base, a tubular member mounted in the ash tray and extending into the chamber, an annular anvil of resilient ma teria] mounted at the top end oi the tubular member, a non-circular hollow guideway secured to the inner wall of the tubular member, a noncircular shaft slidably mounted in the upper end of the non-circular guideway, an operating handle mounted on the non-circular shaft, a rod at the lower end oi the non-circular shaft, extending downwardly therefrom, a closure for the lower lend of the tubular member secured to the lower end of said rod, and res-ilient means mounted within the non-circular guideway and urging the non-circular shaft and closure into their uppermost positions.

WALTER H. STEWART. 

